Adio Barcelona

Drafting this on a very posh train speeding towards Madrid via the rugged, red-soiled arid scenery including the Parque Natural del Alto Tajo on a beautiful sunny day - just hope the weather’s as good in three hours’ time. As I’d planned, at this stage of the trip I can rely on temps around the high teens to around 20 - France was a bit of an unseasonal blip unfortunately, but Barcelona was glorious these past couple of days.

I’ll definitely be back to Barca again - there’s still so much I haven’t seen, and it’s just such a great place to wander around and take in the atmosphere. Of course, it’s much more touristy than last time I came - bigger crowds, fewer places for free - but it was still great for shopping, with less high end nonsense than I’d experienced in the likes of Taormina and Capri. Of course, it’s there - but not in the Gothic quarter which was close to me and is the place I like to wander the most. The up side of tourism is that eating out is a bit more diverse than before, and although tapas has become a bit ubiquitous, of course the variety it offers is usually enough to keep things interesting.

I felt in need of a yoga class - although I’ve been doing my usual early morning stretching when space and time have allowed, I’ve only managed the one in Amsterdam as I’d not found anything close or convenient enough elsewhere. There was a gym complex just across La Rambla 2 minutes away, so I went along and although it wasn’t the best or most challenging class I’ve ever done, it was still good to practise. It meant my start to the day was a bit later than usual, but I think it did me good, and armed with my great value 10-ride pass I hopped on the metro to Parallel and on to the funicular up to Montjuic to get the cable car up to the castello.

I booked the cable car online as it works out a little cheaper, plus I had hoped it might mean I could skip the line. Turns out that not only do they require you to print out the voucher they email you (and I checked to see if my phone was acceptable - absolutely not), necessitating a dash to find a nearby print shop as my host wasn’t at home, and then I still had to queue anyway. Luckily it didn’t take long as of course this tourist trap is lots of little cable cars holding 6 people all going round at once like a ski lift, but if you’re thinking of visiting I really wouldn’t bother with the online faff as it guarantees you nothing!

However, the view is of course stupendous and Montjuic is pretty, especially the gardens, and with the perfect weather it was great to get some fresh air and surprising peace and quiet- the crowds weren’t really out in force. I found my way to the Museo d’Arte Catalunya in the Palau National and marvelled at the terraced waterfall and fountains that join it with the Placa d’Espanya. Sadly the view was ruined a bit by loads of scaffolding and barriers that had been put up in advance of some motor rally event about to happen there, and I was also sorry to miss the light show that happens around the fountains, but it only happens on weekend nights.

I crossed over close to the Arena, the shopping complex which was once a bullring, and got something to eat in a tapas chain restaurant - it was pretty ordinary but by that time I could’ve eaten my Birkenstock were these trusty sandals not quite so disgusting with all the miles they’ve walked. There’s very little to remark on with this type of shopping mall as wherever I go they seem to be the same, usually with H&M and Desigual leading the pack. 

Late yesterday afternoon I walked across to Port Vell and the Magnamare shopping centre, and although the setting is lovely, surrounded by sea and yachts, it’s still the same default on the inside. They’ve rather sweetly labelled the toilets 2theloo (though I thought it was a good idea to have a little impulse purchase accessory shop right by the women’s, just where you’d have to queue. I bet the rent’s low.) Not much to remark on - I have an interest in retail, but only when it's doing something new.

After lunch it was time to revisit Parc Guell. It is bonkers.

Now 10 years is obviously long enough to remember how memorable a place is, but it would appear too long to recall the fact that you need a cut lunch and an iron lung to reach it up steep hills. I would not recommend going via Valcarconne metro - it may be ever so slightly closer, but there’s virtually no signposting and the climb is so steep for much of it they’ve actually installed escalators on the street - name?, but it also brings you in at a fairly dull side of the park. If you go via Leepes then the incline is a bit less severe and you get straight into the Gaudi business.

You now have to pay to go sit on the terrace, take a selfie with the salamander or hang out under the portals covered in ceramics - so I marvelled from afar, got reacquainted with the aquaducts and some fantastical Gaudi stuff that is bold enough to view from a distance. It’s still a lovely park, again with amazing views of the city, and I’d forgotten that fittingly, the towers of Sagrada Familia can be clearly viewed from slap bang in the middle.

After a little trip to Port Vell, I went out for drinks in Calle del Carme (restaurant appropriately called Camelita’s) with the two women I’d met on the walking tour the previous day. Karen had to go on to a business meeting after an hour as she was actually there on a conference, so Rebecca and I stayed on for some above-average tapas and nattered all night, assisted by a nice bottle of verdeja, and of course ending with promises of “if you’re ever in London/Auckland”. I hope so actually.

This morning I packed and took off for a walk to Parc Cuitadella, which I don’t believe I’d visited before - quite gorgeous. 

I also dropped in to the stunning Estacione de Franca on the way,

Beats most London terminals

and by accident came across the ruins in the Born cultural centre, an old market hall that they’ve renovated to enclose the city ruins they discovered beneath. Went back to collect Nellie and headed to Sants station - my short metro journey was cheered by a busker with a backing track playing one of those dreadful keyboard harmonicas - the music was dreadful but it made me laugh. I remembered that in Rome they’d get on the tram and metro too, singers and accordion players alike, and you’re just trapped.

Sans is modern (but not nearly so pretty as Franca) though annoyingly laid out with lifts and escalators that have no continuity so you’re lumbered with a Nellie and stairs in between. They have airport-style security too - I did find myself thinking that if I’d wanted to go through all that, together with queuing for 15 minutes to access the platform, I’d have just booked a flight.

As I update this late on Friday night in my cute little room in Madrid, I’m well located with lots going on within a few minutes’ walk, and close to Placa Mayor. Walked around a while after arrival to get my bearings and saw a few sights, including the biggest crypt anywhere, equal to the size of its cathedral, and an amazing neo-romanesque style. 

Crypt at Almedena Cathedral

(The taxi driver tried to save me money - or bothering for a small fare - by telling me it was easy to walk, but he failed to remember that about 500m of it was uphill.) Slightly alarming thumps coming from rooms above, but hope it will settle down.

Palais Real through gates as arrived too late to go in....

Homage to Catalonia

I arrived in Barcelona yesterday and got a cab to the AirBnB to arrive on the dot of 2pm. The apartment is very central at the Maritime end of La Rambla, and I have a nice big room with my own bathroom. My host is a nice guy, an Italian who spent 10 years in London as a change manager and then dropped out of the rat race with some dosh behind him. He's a bit of a contradiction as although he's a bit of a free spirit, into alternative therapies and a vegetarian (not easy in Spain, but he loves Barcelona and decided to base himself here), he's also into making money through property though he claims not to be interested in it, only insofar as it funds his travel. I know all this because we went out for a veggie dinner, and it was good to have some company.

Before that I went to La Boquera (the market) for some late lunch,

and then to La Sagrada Familia for my return visit, the first of which was I think at least 10 years ago. Well, hasn't it changed! When I went with Toni in 2003 (I think - Toni please correct me!) the inside was pretty much a building site with lots of dust and scaffolding, and although we went up the towers (they charge extra for that now, so didn't manage it this time), there wasn't a vast amount to see on the inside. I've seen a lot of churches on this trip, but this place is like nothing you have ever seen. Wow factor is barely adequate to be honest - I was blown away.

If you get the chance - it's worth the 20 euros even if the audio guide was a bit shit. The main cathedral in Barcelona costs 7 euros to visit before 5pm and has very little to offer in comparison. I'm not sure when SF will be finished - maybe another 10 years - but I'm going to make sure I make it back here before I shuffle off this mortal coil if I possibly can.

The stained glass is something else

A baptism font made from a giant seashell

From the passion facade

This is the glory facade, one of the original bits Gaudi completed - so of course it's wearing away now

The Passion facade

 St George is patron saint here too

Today I went on a free walking tour around the Gothic quarter - a very enthusiastic if a little over-jolly guide took it, and I learned quite a lot about the history of this amazing city and the Spanish Civil War. It's inspired me to read the George Orwell account of his own experience in that conflict as I really hadn't understood the nature of the war and who was fighting whom.

I met up with a couple of nice women from NZ and we had some lunch together before they took another tour and I went a-wandering and a-shopping before heading to Palais Guell, which Gaudi designed for a wealthy Catalan family - it's another Modernist stunner, with the most bizarre yet inventive chimneys and vents on the roof terrace you can imagine.

The main hall

The smallest room

Fancy furniture

Chim chimenee

This one lets all the light in through the central hall pictured above

After more wandering - I had hoped to visit the Museum of Contemporary Art but the exhibits didn't look too exciting and I was afeared of getting through the collective noun of skateboarders of all ages skidding about the square in front of it with all my limbs intact. Imagine the South Bank on a weekend and treble it - terrifying. I'd been blown out by the friend of a friend with whom I'd arranged to meet for the evening, so I popped back to my room and then went out for some dinner. Travelling solo at my age seems to mean early nights, but I hope to meet up with the NZ ladies tomorrow for a more sociable evening. One of them is travelling in Europe for 6 months - makes my efforts look feeble....

Tomorrow I'm going to try and squeeze in a yoga class as I need to stretch or it'll be really tough to keep up when I get back. My other plan is the cable car for a bird's eye view.

Brokedown mountain

18/19 October

On Sunday after a leisurely breakfast we went for a wander round the village. It’s very old and very pretty with stone-walled houses scattered around on different levels. Only about 35 people live there these days, and many of them for weekends and holidays, so it has nothing much in the way of facilities - Jane’s house was the old post office for example, and children get taken to school on a bus several km away. It really is very quiet but apparently not an intrusive, busybody kind of place. But they still have to have a mayor so I reckon Nick or Chrissy may have to take a turn some time.

We then met up with Jane and Axhall and went for lunch at the Vieille Moulin in Sous-Peyreu. The mountain itself was shrouded in cloud, though the autumnal colours in the valley were still visible and beautiful. After lunch we went for a little walk around the village, and then went up the mountain to the Cathar castle just in case it might be clear of the clouds - but it wasn’t, so I had to look at pictures in the gift shop so I’d know what it would’ve looked like!

Jane with castle behind her - really

Foggy view

Ooh nice view

Old windmill restaurant

Coo another view

We went back to Jane’s for a cup of tea and I got a guided tour - she has the most gorgeous roof terrace which has a magnificent view across the valley. Nick and Chrissy are working on their terrace, so if I’m lucky enough to get invited back I look forward to taking in that view again some day.

Our evening was spent eating cheese and watching Strictly, which some might say was more than appropriate, but I can’t tell you what a nice change it was to be able to veg out on a sofa and watch telly. Travelling is lovely, but you can’t really relax in best comfort in a cheap hotel and the TV is a bit of a waste if you’re not a linguist. And the pressure is always on to be doing something - if I’ve spent money getting some place, I do feel I have to make the most of every minute which is all very well but not always the most relaxing thing to do.

So, on to Monday and the reason for the title of this episode of le blog. I’ve broken down in the UK and you’re never really miles from anywhere. Yesterday Nick’s car broke down and we really were. We’d had a lovely afternoon in Collioure on the coast - it was mainly cloudy but dry and it’s a lovely little seaside town. 

Artwork of scenes painted in the town everywhere

It was all going so well at this point

Funkiest drainpipe I've ever seen

A shop selling only tinned fish - really. But pretty.

Sun's out

Fab interior of Le Petit Cafe - setting me up for Gaudi in Barca

We had a bracing walk by the sea, a very good lunch, ice cream when the sun came out and were on our way back for the evening when just beyond Perpignan the car gave out and we coasted on to the hard shoulder.  

Poor Nick made several challenging phone calls trying to get assistance and eventually help was promised, so Chrissy and I nipped off the dual carriageway to find a loo and buy water in case we were in for a long wait. While in the supermarket Nick rang to say he’d got the car started, so we set off with fingers crossed for a good 20km before it coughed and coasted again a few km outside a village called Estagel. Again we waited for it to settle, again Nick got it started but this time we only managed 200m, thankfully just beyond a bend in the road so we were clearly visible, but it was getting dark and despite Nick’s warning triangle I was concerned about the speed of the few passing cars there were.

Fabulous sky - every cloud....

This time Nick decided to phone a friend, and eventually Chrissy and I got a taxi to Maury where Jane was very kindly waiting for us to take us on the homeward leg (especially welcome as the taxi was very pricey!) Nick in the meantime had managed to organise a tow to Maury from a friend, and then borrowed a van to get home. Thank goodness for mobile phones and roaming data, or we’d have definitely had to hitch it.

And at least we were on our way home having had a lovely trip out, rather than a wasted day, but I do feel for Nick & Chrissy as they’ve had all kinds of problems with this car as well as other things breaking down/going wrong. I even used the iron this morning and it tripped the electrical supply, so that needs replacing too. They’ve gone way beyond the old saying of bad stuff happens in threes

I’m on my way to Barcelona as I write this on a super-speedy TGV so I’m hopeful that I will arrive more or less on time. (I’ve also seen flamingoes on a stretch of water between Narbonne and Perpignan, so that was a pretty sight.) I seem to have had my fair share of travel hiccups on this trip, and I’d like them to stop. Please.